Category Archives: Economy

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts in other media

The cat is out of the bag. Bank shares have shot up since the surprise election result as new investors pile onto the great franking credits bandwagon.

In the last election campaign I agreed with almost all of the ALP program, but clearly not enough of the public did. There was just too much to explain and communicate. The ALP did not succeed in telling it’s story … Continue reading →

The Australian Labor Party’s 2019 election campaign showed a depth and breadth of economic policies rare for an opposition party to present. Its policy agenda was boldly extensive. But in developing these policies over the past five years, it seems … Continue reading →

A glance at movements in share prices since the election shows who expects to do well out of the Coalition’s win. (Spoiler –  it’s the finance sector.)

The great risk from Scott Morrison’s miraculous victory is that it will lead politicians on both sides to draw conclusions that worsen our politics and our policies. Bill Shorten offered us a chance to change the government and change the … Continue reading →

The Morrison Government has been returned – and it is the Morrison Government – which has been returned without the semblance of an economic policy. And this lack of a credible economic policy did not stop Morrison winning an election … Continue reading →

In a previous article (posted yesterday) I compared the Coalition and Labor fiscal plans. The credibility of these plans, as well as their value, depends significantly on whether the underlying economic parameters upon which the plans are based are sound, … Continue reading →

In 1995 I co-authored a paper with Diane Brown and Louise Malady which examined economic outcomes under Labor and Liberal governments in Australia to that time.

The two major issues in this election are climate change and the economy and cost of living pressures. In both cases the two major parties are offering very different strategies. In these two articles I will focus on the economic … Continue reading →

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is either desperately lying or ignorant about the Reserve Bank seriously downgrading Australia’s economic outlook – a downgrade that could easily wipe out the government’s “back in black” surplus claim.  

Labor’s proposal to end cash refunds of unused dividend imputation credits is highly targeted. 

Charismatic politicians entice disillusioned people into giving them support. Some of those politicians are would-be despots. Others are scoundrels. Yet their siren songs are enticing. 

This is the only government since Fraser’s that hasn’t presided over an improved standard of living. 

Morrison’s words are a plea to trust his government, but his tactics seem to be aimed at spreading mistrust, not only of Labor but also of democratic institutions more generally. 

 Scott Morrison in today’s announcement of the election date said once again that ‘Labor cannot manage money’ In an earlier post I argued that the economy is a means to an end. It is not an end in itself. The … Continue reading →